Friday, February 5, 2010

Why Do You Love Star Trek So Much?

This is an answer to this question and is part of FAQ Fridays. If you have questions you would like answered, you can ask them on the FAQ page.

Question:

Why does your family love Star Trek so much? It is not a Christian program and in fact it strongly promotes a lot of non-Christian ideas, including the idea that women can be leaders and should not be submissive to men? Doesn't this go against your life views? Don't you think it will influence your children in a way that is undesirable to you?

Answer:

There are many parts of this question to address, so I'm going to take it one at a time.

Why does your family love Star Trek so much?

Because it is awesome! If you haven't seen it, you can watch original episodes on YouTube and on cbs.com. The newer series' DVDs are going down in price and our collection is slowly growing.

It is the most witty, entertaining and thought provoking show that either my husband or I have ever seen, and we both grew up with cable. My husband has a saying, "Even the worst episode of Star Trek is better than the best episode of anything else." I whole-heartedly agree. We even love some of the fan series, also on YouTube.

Star Trek has something for everyone. My husband is a student of human nature, history and politics. He loves the interweaving stories of how different worlds are incorporated into the Federation and how other worlds fight against it. He loves the rebel Marquis fighters and the creativity that came when new planets were explored in "Voyager."

I am a science geek myself. I find warp theory fascinating and my heart beats a litte faster when something goes wrong and I again get a further glimpse into how those engines run. I am intrigued by new species and the challenges Neelix faces in preparing foods for many different races. Looking at issues in genetic modifaction today verses in the "future" provides an interesting study of its own.

This stuff is so fascinating, and fun to think about. It is fun that my husband and I have something we both love and enjoy and discuss in depth. It enhances our marraige and our friendship. I am relatively new to Star Trek and am seeing many epsiodes now for the first time. He has been watching Star Trek his whole life. For each of our children, their first TV experience was Star Trek, and my husband can tell you which episode each child saw shortly after they were born.

It is not a Christian program and in fact it strongly promotes a lot of non-Christian ideas, including the idea that women can be leaders and should not be submissive to men?

The Bible does not say that women cannot lead, nor does it say that women have to be submissive to men in general. The Bible says women are to submit to their husbands. I don't have to submit to your husband, my father, my brother, or any other man besides my husband, who I chose to marry because I love him and trust his judgement.

As far as women being leaders, the Bible is clear that women should not be in authority over men in the church. I, as a Christian woman, have no desire to have authority over men in any capacity. However, in the Bible Deborah, was a military leader because no man would stand up to the challenge. The Bible was pro-woman in a shocking way for thousands of years. It is only recently when new standards for women have rapidly emerged that the Bible is looked on as anti-woman. The idea of a husband loving his wife as Christ loves the church is more pro-woman than the philosophies of any other major world religion, and that was written thousands of years ago. For me, that command to my husband fulfills the desires of my heart as his wife, and is as pro-woman as you can get.

Doesn't this go against your life views?

Some of what is portrayed in Star Trek does go against our life views. Some of what is portrayed in Veggie Tales goes against our life views as well. It would be impossible to find a TV show that we agreed with 100%. Some Christians decide not to watch any TV because of this. Agreeing 100% isn't our standard for TV, movies, friends, a church, or books.

We choose to watch TV but think through what we watch. Dan and I talk about everything we watch. We discuss what was hilarious, what was accurate, what got us curious for more. If a Christian is not willing to think through what they are watching, they may need to abstain from watching TV, but there is no reason that those who are willing to put in the work of discernment should abstain as well.

Don't you think it will influence your children in a way that is undesirable to you?

It is possible that our children may think the world of Star Trek is real, but we are planning on teaching them the difference between what is imagined and what is real. Star Trek is a great way to get them thinking about imaginary worlds, possibilities, new ways of thinking and other peoples' points of view. In our opinon, that is a good thing for children.

58 comments:

Anonymous said...

What I find interesting is not in that this question lacks in validity; my mind considers the possibility of why "you" are questioned on this while for many circumstances, the "poser" (and it may not be for this person) also engages in personal enjoyments. Surprisingly, in reading blogs (way too long, imo), it is the 'church' that points the finger at a christian. But that's a whole other subject. I realize I sound disconnected to the issue and post at hand. Just a ramble. But maybe not so disconnected.... ? ;)

Anonymous said...

I am a trekkie fan, the show to me was ahead of it's time in the late sixties promoting equality of women and people of many different races living peacefully alongside one another.

Another show I love is Little House on the Prairie, wholesome, witty and entertaining to boot :) Do you like that show as well Emily?

Mom in Canada

Guinevere said...

Personally, what I've always loved about sci-fi in general is the ideas that one can explore by disconnecting from some of the boundaries of contemporary society. I really enjoy Christian science fiction novels for that reason, but I enjoy mainstream science fiction novels, TV and movies in general because of it as well. And also, of course, for the pure imagination involved.

I grew up with a mother and uncle who were pretty fundamentalist Christian, and yet we all watched Star Trek and Babylon 5 together - they certainly didn't find those shows offensive, even though they sometimes disagreed with the worldview of one episode or another. Now my husband and I like to watch re-runs of Farscape, Doctor Who, and the new series Fringe (reminiscent of the X-files). I certainly don't think it's a bad thing to introduce your kids to, especially since science fiction provides so many jumping-off points for discussions exploring new ideas.

Anonymous said...

Just want to finish with: truly, I meant what I said in second parenthesis. I think (no kidding...) I'm blog-toxic. Y'know when someone can have so much...coffee, or orange juice...or something that they end up being sick from? It's not this blog; it's the engaging myself in blogs ad nausem during the day. Think you have a lot of class; get no grace for your age and experience; are held to an impossible standard set by others. I've engaged in 'discussions', but recently, became aware that my life was not being lived. No offense. If this blog is a venue to help your family; if it is something you enjoy....all the good to you. I've come to the conclusion that for me, blogland has more traps and snares for my soul than I care to engage in! God bless you and your family. Taking a few weeks off from blog reading. It'll do my heart wonders, I believe. ;)

Anonymous said...

Ok, I have my popcorn, I'm prepared to be snowed in for the weekend. This promises to be good fodder for the weekend. I'm ready. Entertain me. :)

Martha said...

I grew up in the 1960's and watched the original Star Trek and have continued to watch Star Trek over the years. There is nothing wrong with Star Trek. I thought that the most important point that you made was that it "enhances our marriage and our friendship." WOW!!!

My husband is a marathon runner. I don't run. But I have come to enjoy sitting down and watching a track and field event or marathon race on t.v. I even plan for it by making something to eat such as pizza or stromboli while we watch the event. It has brought us closer as a couple.

Also, thank you, thank you, thank you for your opinion on the submissiveness issue.

Victoria said...

Not getting Missus post. But I did want to say I totally agree that it would be impossible to find something on TV that agrees 100% with a person's individual belief. I like how you willing to entertain other ideas, views.

Just a little story. There was a commercial about if you ate a cereal then all these magical creatures appeared. I wasn't paying much attention and my daughter asked if that was true. I said, "If you believe, honey." We picked up the cereal and she plopped her butt in front of the TV only to be disappointed that magical creatures didn't appear. It is so sad when you see innocence leave.

Anonymous said...

We don't watch TV for a myriad of reasons, but even when I was younger and did, I just didn't like Star Trek. There were no great religious or philosophical reasons, I just didn't like it. Hehehe. So I probably won't have a lot to say on this post's comment section. I know Captain James T. Kirk, Sulu, Data, Spock, Uhura (way to short of a skirt, I always wondered why the men were covered neck to toes but she was in a tiny dress. Talk about societal messages within a show), Scott, and Chekov. And I only know Chekov because of a toy my boys played with at a friend's house that said, over and over, "Ensign Chekov Pavel Andrevich, sir".

Nydia said...

I enjoyed this post. I have only watched a couple episodes of star trek, and was taken to a theater once to watch a star trek movie. I was not interested AT ALL. I do agree that if a christian is going to guard against watching anything they do not agree with, then they need to not watch at all.

Kat said...

Cool faq question! I grew up with parents who loved star trek (mostly next generation--I think my mom had a crush on Captain Picard :) ).

I also love your answer..."Because it's awesome," such a perfect, typical answer for someone our age (I'm the same age as you.)

I know there are different interpretations of the bible, but I'm suprised that you think the bible teaches that women should not teach/lead groups of people that include men. Because there are so many examples of women in positions of spiritual leadership in the New Testement (Pheobe, Pricsha/Pricilla, Junia, etc.) I've always understood that passage you're referring to to be more about the culture of the time than anything else; i.e. that that's how things were done in the dominant culture and Saint Paul didn't want the idea of women in power to prevent newcomers from that culture from coming to Christianity (in other words not having something be so outside the accepted cultural norm that it was a "stumbling block.") Historically, and spiritually, when I read that alongside the teachings of Jesus, and the recorded actions of St. Paul and the other apostles it makes the most sense to me.

Now I think we risk running into the opposite problem, in the culture that we live in there are many people who reject Christianity at least in part, because of the sexism it so often seems to promote, and I think at this point in history the idea of "no women leading men" is a huge "stumbling block" for a lot of people.

That said, the majority of Christians I know do not hold this view, I know my husband would say that he's probably learned more from female spiritual leaders than anyone else :).

Anyway, I think everyone needs to find something they're comfortable with, and if you personally feel empowered by your belief system and it brings you closer to the divine then great! You and I are both super young, and my wish for you is the same as it is for myself--never stop seeking and learning!

There is a really good book I think you might enjoy called "The Lost Apostle" by Rena Pederson, she's a Christian, so the book is definitely written from a Christian lens/perspective, by the cover it's presented as though it's just about Junia, but really she looks at the history of women and their roles in the chuech throughout the history of Christianity (Junia is the figure that initially fueled her interest.) It strikes me as something you and your husband might enjoy reading.

...Live long and prosper :)

Anonymous said...

I like that you are an independent thinker, the world needs more of them!

Jen

Anonymous said...

During the first year my husband and I were married, we watched the entire TNG series. When pregnant with our son, we watched all seven seasons of Voyager. We joked that the baby would think that Captain Janeway was his mother since he heard her voice so often. We finished the series a few days before he was born, and then we spent the next 6 months watching every episode of Deep Space 9 (yeah, we should have watched DS9 before Voyager...not sure how that happened). We don't have Enterprise yet, but hopefully we'll get it some day soon.
-Katie, a Christian who loves Star Trek

dust in the wind said...

I have never had any desire to sit and watch Star Trek, but I must say that you have tickled my curiosity a bit. You make it sound so wonderful and exciting! Next time I'm around it I will give it more of a chance :) Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you and Dan have a beautiful relationship.

dustin
www.onlydustinthewind.blogspot.com

Boysmom said...

I don't know how much you know about child development, but preschool children can't tell the difference between fantasy and what's "real." You might not want them to watch Star Trek until they are older if this bothers you. You can't just teach them, it's a developmental issue for children, in other words, it's just the way God designed them. :)

Rebecca said...

Hi Emily,

I found a book recently when looking for some homeschool science books. Thought you'd be interested. It's called the Physics of Star Trek by Krauss. It looks at whether the different inventions they have could actually be real. Seems interesting and fun.

Anonymous said...

Hi Emily, I have been reading your blog, but this is the first time I am commenting. I, too, am a Star Trek lover. I love the new ways of looking at old ideas and the thinking about laws vs. morals vs. customs/traditions. For example, not so many years ago having children via surrogacy was inconceivalbe, literally! And now we have laws govening it.
I really enjoy your blog. You are helping me
rethink every item in my budget. Thanks.
Linda C.

Melissa said...

It is nice that you and Dan have a show that you can both watch and enjoy together. My dh and I have a hard time agreeing on shows and movies to watch together. Right now the only show we watch together is LOST- great show!

What about the kids... do you allow them to watch childrens shows or movies?

God Bless,
Melissa

Amy said...

My husband and I also love star trek. As well as babylon 5 (I wholeheartedly recommend if you haven't seen it), dr who (new) and stargate. I liked star trek a little before we got married, but he really opened my eyes to the world of sci fi, so I get where you are coming from. It is fun to have something we both love to watch and we really enjoy this time together. And when people ask WHY we like this (as they always do- I don't get it??) I tell them it is because most sci fi has an epic quality about it- good vs evil- and tends to be more willing to tackle some moral dilemas in their story lines. The stories tend to be a lot more creative in general, so you aren't watching the same thing over and over.

And you are right, star trek doesn't always uphold biblical values, but neither does my father and I still let my daughter see him. No one and nothing in life will ever be 100% what we agree with, so you have to pick and chose your battles.

Blessed said...

Nicely reasoned and explained, Emily. : )

Have you seen the movie "Galaxy Quest"? A MUST SEE for any science fiction TV but esp. Star Trek fan. I actually don't watch a lot of TV (we have not even owned one for 9 years) but I have seen enough over the years to get the jokes, and back when that movie first came out on video, it made me laugh harder than anything I had seen in a long time. : )

Seriously, Emily, if you and Dan have not seen it, you want to.

Susan said...

I like your answers. You have thought this question through. I think you are on the right path with Star Trek. We have been fans since it first aired and the shows since.
Live long and prosper.

Michelle said...

De-lurking as a fellow Star Trek fan...surprised this passion is even an issue.

Rachel in florida said...

Emily, i have to admit that I have n
ever watched an episode of Star Trek. It just doesn't look interesting to me. I am fond of family drama, set in times gone by. i love "Little House on the Prairie", "The Waltons", almost anything on the Hallmark channel. My daughter says that I don't watch anything or read anything that does not have a horse in it! But I do understand what you mean about watching something that goes against your life view. I have a bit of an addiction to "That 70's Show". I don't really like all the sexual references, but it reminds me of my own teenage days and the people I knew. I was a teen at the same time period. I had friends who were just like each of the characters. so for me it is an enjoyable 30 minutes back in time. And I was young and not on a walk with the Lord, so I acted a lot like these characters too. I'm thankful to be beyond that.

RDC said...

Word up! My boyfriend and I have had some very interesting discussions on faith and salvation that were prompted by Doctor Who-- a show that's very heavy on existentialism. It's given us a way to talk about ideas that wouldn't have occurred to us on our own.

Perhaps I shall start on Star Trek-- it sounds quite aborbing. :) Interesting post as always, Emily-- thank you.

--RDC

Christie said...

Which one do you watch? The original with Captain Kirk, or the later series with Jean Luc Picard?

PerryC said...

Live long and prosper!

I have always loved Star Trek, even though it's essentially "U.N. in space". I don't let my kiddos watch it unguarded, in fact i often stop it and explain why whatever just happened on the screen is not how we think about such things.

I guess my love of Trek goes back to watching it with my dad as a kid.

Christena said...

what about the fact that the show is vehemently anti religion... any religion. aren't you worried that your kids will realize that? Have you even realized it?

"I condemn false prophets, I condemn the effort to take away the power of rational decision, to drain people of their free will -- and a hell of a lot of money in the bargain. Religions vary in their degree of idiocy, but I reject them all. For most people, religion is nothing more than a substitute for a malfunctioning brain." (Gene Roddenberry)

I know you probably won't read it, but the quotes below are from this article ... (http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/09_jul_aug/Farrantello.html) "star trek made me an atheist"

"As a little kid watching episodes like “Return of the Archons” and “The Apple,” I learned that it wasn't enough to have faith in something just because everyone else around you did. I learned there might be truths outside one’s own society—heavy stuff for a seven-year-old."

"Now consider the message: it doesn’t matter if you are all powerful. If you’re doing something wrong, you’re doing something wrong, and should be opposed. No matter what the consequence. Wow. This wasn't what I was being taught in my catechism classes."

"And so as a boy I found it increasingly hard to understand why Christians weren’t acting the way Kirk and Spock were. If there was a God, some being causing earthquakes and hurling hurricanes, why wouldn’t Christians (or Jews or Muslims for that matter) fight against such a being? What I was learning on Star Trek seemed more moral to me than what I was learning in church. As I got older and learned more about suffering around the world, the more I wondered why religious people didn’t oppose such a cruel God...And even at seven I was smart enough to know that God doesn’t get a pass by saying he didn’t cause the terrible things that were happening in the world. If you can stop something from happening and you choose not to, it’s as bad as causing it. (I learned that from my mom when I sat watching my dog eat an entire pan of lasagna off the kitchen counter while my family was all in the other room.) Why were priests and rabbis afraid, I'd wonder, just because this “God” of theirs was powerful?"

"... I thought about that episode (“Who Mourns for Adonis?”) and realized when you change it from a god with a small g to the God with a capital G it’s easy to see the meaning: better a free man in hell then a slave in heaven."

Anonymous said...

In the writer’s bible for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Roddenberry insisted that no currently existent religion was practiced in the 24th century and all humans were atheists and the world was a better place for it. Positive religious themes were not part of Roddenberry’s universe.

mishie said...

what a trivial question...... I'm sure you get asked some dosies "better" than this ;) My mother tried to turn us all onto star trek :P While I never cared for it, it is something special her and my brother share <3

Minn said...

My husband has been subscribing to every episode there is of ALL Star Trek episodes ever made. They are pretty entertaining.

Have you tried watching Babylon 5? Another great space scifi series ever made, in our opinion. :D

Anonymous said...

There is a wonderful book called Star Wars/Star Trek and the 21st Centuray Christian. I read it looong ago but it was cute and put a nice perspective on the series. I loved STTNG! You can still find some copies on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Star-wars-trek-century-Christians/dp/B0006YIL3I/fromsuburb-20

Amber said...

lol what a silly question that someone would ask. I do think you're reading waaaay too far into star trek, but meh... you could be doing much worse LOL!

Daphne said...

What gets me about people is how many folks seem to not be able to grasp the concept of holding seemingly conflicting ideas/opinions in the same hand. Frankly, as long as you're okay with it in your own mind, who cares if a person is open-minded enough to take in various views and opinions (which they may not agree with), and still hold their own? That means that the person (in this case, you, Emily) is open-minded AND has their own opinions. It's not so difficult, really. (PS: I love Star Trek too!)

Ria said...

I have to applaud for this entire entry. While I can see where the curiosity came from in this question, since a good many Christian households seem to want nothing to do with anything that isn't entirely Christian in origin, I think it's great for people to see you and your family presented as something other than one-dimensional cookie-cutter Christians. Your reasons were good ones, well thought out, and they demonstrate better values for your family than I've seen in other places.

Besides, you're right. Star Trek IS awesome!

Emily said...

Mom in Canada, yes, I love Little House.

Bysmom, I'll keep that in mind. But wouldn't the same be true for Thomas the Tank Engine and Lightning McQueen (Cars), which my boys love?

Melissa, the kids watch some shows. I have an upcoming family day post about it.

Amy and Minn, we love B5, too.

Blessed, my husband has introduced me to Galaxy Quest, but I'm not as into it as I am ST. We don't have a TV either. We watch on the computer.

Christia, we watch them all, but I'm on a Voyager kick for when it's my turn to pick.

Perry, I like that "UN in space." I'll have to pass that thought along to Dan.

Christena, about an all powerful god, it is not applicable with my God, as he is all good, whether we understand it or not.

Anon, it is not anti-religion. Many religions are shown in a respectful way.

K said...

My husband and I agree that TV is fine when you are discerning and treat it as entertainment, not as a lifestyle. I'm curious if you have ever watched LOST? My husband and I love LOST for similar reasons that you guys love Star Trek - just curious! :)

PK said...

Emily, I know Dan works at WM. Right now, they have seasons one and two of Stargate Atlantis for 14.99 each (way lower than anywhere else, believe me, I checked!) It is ALMOST as interesting as Voyager. I've watched Voyager so long that I know every episode by heart.
SG Atlantis is pretty fascinating , especially as you get into the second season. I do wish we had watched all of the Stargate series first, but at $14.99 per season, we couldn't pass it up !
We are now watching the much more expensive season three through Netflix.
We also enjoyed "Enterprise" , it had a lot of comedy in it. Dr. Phlox was almost as good as Voyager's Doctor!

Devon said...

We are big sci fi geeks around here. I'm not a big Star Trek fan--though I saw all of TNG and the old series when I was little--but Dh and I watched Voyager and Enterprise together. We LOVE Stargate, Stargate Atlantis and Fringe. DH is a big BSG fan.

When Stargate did their 100th episode, they ended with a quote from Isaac Asimov that made a lot of sense to me (and justified my geek tendencies): "Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinded critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction, its essence has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all."

Anyhoo. Geeks unite.

Christena said...

please don't feel like you have to post this because it's really just me asking questions. if god is good, and everything he does and says is good, how do you explain that his word is not "good" for everyone? There are millions of people around the world that are living fulfilled, moral, and good lives without living by the word of your god but by the word of another god, gods, or no god at all. How do you explain that? is it something as simple as "their lives would be better if they did follow the word of god," or are you going to dodge it all together. I'm genuinely curious. I can understand people who believe in their god and think that everyone has the right to believe what they want, but when people start saying that they're way is the only way, and that everyone who doesn't believe the same as them that they're condemning themselves to eternal hellfire, it rubs me the wrong way.

Emily said...

Christena, his word is good for everyone. Everyone can obtain eternal life through his word and what is taught in it. Yes, some may feel happy in the here and now, but as you say, will not feel happy forever. The Bible teaches that all are judged. We are all guilty, but some have been forgiven. The forgiven are thankful for forgiveness, while those that are not forgiven seem to resent the idea that they have done something wrong and need to be forgiven.

As far as the right to believe what they want, we live in a free country. Also, the Bible says that most won't believe. It is my job to tell others what I believe, why I believe it and how I got to this place, which I do, it is not my job to convince anyone, just tell, so I am okay with everyone believing something different.

Christena said...

when did i say that they "will not feel happy forever"?! this is what annoys me about you emily, you hear what you want to hear.

how can you say that everything god does is good when that's clearly not true. Earthquakes, fires, car accidents, heart disease, drowning puppies! these are all bad things. The only argument that makes sense is this; "yes, bad things happen, but god must let them happen for a reason. he has a plan" blah blah blah. but for you to say, "[god] is all good" is childish.

how do you reconcile the fact that you have free will with the idea that you're supposed to follow the word of god and thereby the word of your husband? if you live your whole life living by someone else's rules, how are you exerting your free will? isn't it the easy way out to say, "i'm using free will by choosing to live the life i do. I choose to follow the word of god." You're choosing to let someone else make your life decisions! how is that satisfying? it's like you're sitting in the backseat of your own life. you're not making the hard decisions, or having to think about anything! do you feel like an equal in your relationship with your husband? What would happen if you were extremely interested in something that he wasn't interested in at all... like basketball, or dogs, or fixing up old cars, or whatever. would he give up some of his personal freedom to enjoy this thing with you? or would he allow you to enjoy it on your own? would he give it a chance? and if the answers to these questions are no... how could one partner in a marriage feel obligated to please the other when it's not reciprocated?

lets say that a family just like yours existed out there somewhere except the husband believed that he has authority over his wife and the wife had a hard time accepting this. In order to show authority over his wife, he beats her. I understand that what he's doing is not following the word of god, but what should the wife do? Should she leave him and in so doing abandon the word of god? or submit to her husband and accept her fate?

How can you say that the bible is pro woman when it doesn't allow you, as a woman, to be an equal in your marital relationship. If women aren't seen as equal in their own homes, how are they supposed to be perceived as equals in any other aspects of their lives. you can say all you want that men can differentiate between their home life and their work life, but if they see their wifes in such a way that they're incapable of making decisions on her own, it will make it infinitely harder to see women at work as the independant, intellegent, free thinkers that they can be. Or are you under the idea that women shouldn't work. And, if that's the case, what's to happen to the women who can't find a husband, or who choose not to get married? how are they supposed to support themselves?

Emily said...

Christena, "not feel happy forever" is in reference to eternal damnation which you brought into the conversation. I didn't. You've brought up a lot of questions. I'd rather add them to the FAQ, but I'll address some here now.

God does not do bad things. Earthquakes and heart disease are due to the curse of sin. That is a curse that humanity brought upon itself.

Free will and other people's rules - besides free will being an extremely complex theological debate, I will say that if you are obeying the laws of the land, this does not exclude you from pursuing your own dreams. The laws are there to protect you and others. The same as with God's laws.

About husbands and submission, I chose my husband. Not all women have had the freedom to do this, but I chose a man that I trust to make decisions that are for my best interest. He does support my interests and lets me pursue them.

About submission when the husband is in the wrong, like in beating a wife, I have a question like that in the FAQ and it is just too in-depth to go into in the comments sections. Sorry.

In marraige, it is not that the woman is inferior, it is that she is different. It is a different role. If you think it is inferior, I'd say that's a matter of perspective. Most Christian women know that the happiness and prosperity of their family rests heavily on their shoulders.

On women working, again, too complex for the comments section. I'll add it to the FAQ.

I don't mean to dodge any questions or oversimplify my answers. I hope this makes sense to you or at least allows you to see more of another person's perspective. I know that what a lot of Christians spout doesn't seem to jive with reality. They are spouting talking points, and it can be frustrating. I don't want to be that kind of Christian. What I share, I want to share thoughtfully, prayerfully, and honestly from me. That's why some of your questions will need their own post.

Christena said...

thank you for your thoughtful response. I look forward to hearing your answers in your posts.

I disagree about bad thing happening around the world. Even if god isn't causing the "bad things", he could stop them (being all powerful) if he wanted to. And letting them happen is just as bad as actually doing them.

I find it hard to believe that everyone who dies because of the curse of sin, were in fact sinners. I'm sure there were people who died in the Haitian earthquake that were saved. Doesn't that go against your whole "i'm obligated to tell you about the word of god, but not to convince anyone" thing? If saved people are being killed because of the sinners our there, then shouldn't you be obligated to convert as many people as possible, in order to save the "saved"?

Should women really have a "different role" in the work place? If a woman has the same position as a man and does the same job, shouldn't they get paid the same? shouldn't they be treated with the same respect and authority?

Rebekah said...

I really enjoyed your answer to this question, Emily ... my husband and I watch a variety of TV shows and movies, some of which we agree with the worldview presented and some of which we don't. Our goal is to watch things that challenge our brains to think and give us topics to discuss ... not just worthless fluff, although occasionally we watch something frivolous as well! ;)

One of our favorite shows right now is "Lost," because we enjoy trying to unravel the mystery. Often, the characters on the show behave in ways that are not godly, but just as often, we see them reaping the results of their poor choices and resolving to choose better next time. The plot has gotten my husband and I talking in depth about free will vs. fate, the nature of time, the ever-present battle between good and evil and how evil often masquerades as good.

Although there are many shows I would never allow my children to watch until they're in their teens, I think that a show/movie doesn't have to be strictly Christian in order to be worth watching.

Crabcakes said...

"Because it's awesome" is the reason I love star trek too. I'm rewatching TNG and having such a great time with it.

If all I watched, read, exposed myself to were things that thought exactly like me then I'd have nothing on this earth to do. We're all different. Having a show reflect that is admirable.

Heather said...

sure not the deepest thinking post, but hey it must have been asked and you've answered. good post, good answers! so glad that you have the ability to be a free thinker as said before. so over the whole being a true christian means...do this, do that, can't do this, can't do that. i'm glad that you and your family have something to bond over. that is important! and now i'm feeling a little sentimental over star trek, i remember my dad watching it while i was growing up. i never paid much attention. maybe now i will.

Erin T. said...

Emily, I agree. According to God, the wife is a 'compliment' to her husband. Not lesser. I also agree that some of those questions will be better answered on FAQ Fridays. On a separate note, let's see some updated photos of your babies!

Emily said...

Christena, saved people are very much sinners too, and they are the first to admit that God is just for making death the punishment of sin.

For obligated to convert, no, I don't have the power to convert anyone. I only have the power to tell what I know. That is what I am obligated to do.

I didn't say women should have a different role in the workplace. I will say that many choose to, though, so that they can focus on their families. That really is such a dynaimc question/topic, I am going to save my thoughts for a post.

Christena said...

I really am going to stop after this comment, i promise, but I really just don't understand. Are you saying that everyone that dies from "bad things" are sinners? Everyone that dies because of hunger and dehydration, the tragedy of cancer, a drunk driver, tsunamis, wild fires, and plane crashes, deserves it? Please don't tell me that you're one of those people (or you agree with them) that stand outside soldier's funerals to tell their families that they died because we live in sin... are you?

Emily said...

Christena, This is what the Bible teaches and what I believe: Adam and Eve were the first people. They both sinned. All people are descendants of Adam and Eve and inherited the sin nature. ALL people are sinners. If Adam and Eve hadn't sinned, they would still be around today. There would be no death. Because they sinned, the world is under the curse of sin and death. That is why people die, why there are earthquakes and disease. Some people die as a direct result of their own sin, like a drunk driver, but most die because of the general curse.

No, I don't protest funerals, and don't think it is a good idea. I support freedom of speech, but those people need to get a clue about the importance of reaching people for Christ. Their intent is not to save souls, but to belittle others.

"Morethnrubies1" said...

I love it! It's so neat to know there is another young/Christian/female/trekkie out there!I am somewhat new to the world, having watched next gen as a child, My darling hubby has introduced me to the rest! We are currently working our way thru DS9, and Voyager is on its way!

Keep up the blogging, I find a great deal of inspiriation and comfort in it.

Christena said...

but doesn't repenting or accepting jesus into your heart/life take away the sin? isn't that why people are baptized?

Christena said...

and if not, why are we being punished for something someone else did, thousands of years ago? If there's nothing we can do to get rid of the curse of sin, then why would people join a religion at all. why would they adopt this idea that they are sinners and there's nothing they can do about it and this all powerful god (that they choose to believe in) will strike them down for any reason or for no reason at all? that sounds very very depressing to me. which is strange because i'm sure you think that believing that it's all random is very depressing lol.

Emily said...

Christena, accepting Christ does not take away the sin, it takes away the eternal punishment of sin. The punishment of death is two-fold: the physical death at the end of life and the eternal death, known as hell. By accepting Christ, you escape the eternal death.

It is also not something someone did thousands of years ago. Everyone sins. Whether it be greed or murder, ingratitude or strife, we all sin every day, even Christians. That makes the punishment of death just.

There is something we can do to get rid of the curse of sin, though. Jesus broke the curse on the cross by conquering death. He rose again to prove he conquered death. If we put our trust in him and ask for his forgiveness, acknowledging that we are guilty, we are free from the curse of sin. We have the freedom to not sin. On top of removing the punishment of death, he gives us a gift of eternal life with him.

Sue said...

Why do you think your kids will be able to sift through all of the themes in Star Trek and come out with only those that support Christianity but you don't trust them to be able to think for themselves in a school on the issue of Israel? There are anti-christian ideas in many, many episodes of Star Trek, but the Israel thing might only be mentioned once in 13 years of schooling. (It was never mentioned in my school.)

Mommy Vision said...

Wow, whoever asked this question was really reaching LOL!

http://mommyvisionblog.blogspot.com/

CappuccinosMom said...

I'm not a Trekkie, lol. Never found it that captivating.

But, I do watch other sci-fi. When my kids are older they probably will too. We don't look for things that we agree with 100%, to watch. My husband prefers non-fiction, documentaries or movies based on real life. But fiction or non-fiction, there are very few people in the world who believe *exactly* like us. So we use what we watch as an opportunity for education, discussion, and consideration of all manner of different things.

Unknown said...

I love Star Trek and the sci fi genre in general. I appreciated your input on the Christian-loving-SciFi thing.

Anonymous said...

I would just like to add something if I may. If you look at life and death from a theological point of view, Christena, everyone is spiritually dead until they accept Jesus and the eternal life he offers. Every single person is born a sinner and has the same chance to accept Christ and his gift of life. God doesn't strike people down for being sinners. Bad things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. That is life.

April

Post a Comment